Comments on: High school soccer: The Tegan McGrady suspensionhttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/hssports/2013/02/20/high-school-soccer-the-tegan-mcgrady-suspension/
Mercury News' Santa Clara and San Mateo counties high school sports blogFri, 27 Mar 2015 00:26:00 +0000hourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1By: BCP86http://blogs.mercurynews.com/hssports/2013/02/20/high-school-soccer-the-tegan-mcgrady-suspension/comment-page-1/#comment-40023
BCP86Mon, 04 Mar 2013 22:46:26 +0000http://blogs.mercurynews.com/hssports/?p=4249#comment-40023It sickens me that kids need to choose between club and high school. Back in the day, club soccer would be temporarily suspended when the high school season started (October), and would then resume upon completion of the high school winter season (early March). Whether it’s the private clubs or the schools that are being difficult (it’s probably both….) every kid should have the experience of playing for their high school. In many cases, club teammates would find themselves playing for opposing Schools, which was a blast. I guess I don’t understand what the private clubs have against the High School system, but they’re encouraging their players to choose Club over High School, and that’s a shame. Just another example of things being better “back in the day.”
]]>By: Some Guyhttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/hssports/2013/02/20/high-school-soccer-the-tegan-mcgrady-suspension/comment-page-1/#comment-40005
Some GuyThu, 28 Feb 2013 18:57:55 +0000http://blogs.mercurynews.com/hssports/?p=4249#comment-40005I’ve heard from some familiar with the situation, that highschool soccer will soon be obsolete, with players choosing club traveling teams over their HS. I could see the same happening in basketball with AAU teams (though HS attendance trumps AAU, so maybe that will make a difference). CIF better play ball with the club leagues or some HS sports might start diss appearing.
]]>By: De Anzahttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/hssports/2013/02/20/high-school-soccer-the-tegan-mcgrady-suspension/comment-page-1/#comment-40004
De AnzaThu, 28 Feb 2013 15:32:56 +0000http://blogs.mercurynews.com/hssports/?p=4249#comment-40004Club sports exist, their draw is growing, they are not going away.

Forced to chose, most good players are choosing club over school.

Things like this will only accelerate the better kids opting for Club OVER their HS team, instead of playing both.

]]>By: Mitchhttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/hssports/2013/02/20/high-school-soccer-the-tegan-mcgrady-suspension/comment-page-1/#comment-39999
MitchWed, 27 Feb 2013 03:53:39 +0000http://blogs.mercurynews.com/hssports/?p=4249#comment-39999I am really impressed at most of the comments made by the responders here especially Laura. Santa Teresa was lucky as someone mentioned. Palo Alto was not as lucky. After CIF had found and suspended Tegan McGrady they looked for others for whatever reason and found a player for Palo Alto, Palo Alto had already played and won handily 5-0 and then were quickly terminated from CCS when they had a legitimate chance.
The understanding to the rule was to reduce players from having playing conflicts between club soccer and high school soccer and club soccer was pulling too many talented soccer players away.
As Laura stated the exclusion she so eloquently stated is “CIF needs to change its bylaws for soccer to be the same” – “Individual athletes invited to participate in Olympic Development and US National events may do so”.
Let’s get this solved CIF/CCS.
]]>By: laurahttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/hssports/2013/02/20/high-school-soccer-the-tegan-mcgrady-suspension/comment-page-1/#comment-39994
lauraMon, 25 Feb 2013 15:33:00 +0000http://blogs.mercurynews.com/hssports/?p=4249#comment-39994Should have clarified my point above. For swimming and diving, there is no “verification” required or cumbersome hoops to jump through to participate in outside events. The bylaw is simple and straight forward. From CIF bylaw 600 – “Swimmers may compete for an amateur team during the season of sport in the USA Swimming Senior National Championship Meet, the USA Swimming Sectional Championship meets and the YMCA National Meet. Divers may compete for an amateur team during the season of sport in the USA National Diving Championships and the USA National Junior Diving Championships.” That’s it. There are not numerous steps or multiple requirements. CIF needs to change its bylaws for soccer to be the same – “Individual athletes invited to participate in Olympic Development and US National events may do so”. Especially since CIF can’t seem to process paperwork in a timely manner.
]]>By: laurahttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/hssports/2013/02/20/high-school-soccer-the-tegan-mcgrady-suspension/comment-page-1/#comment-39993
lauraMon, 25 Feb 2013 15:10:33 +0000http://blogs.mercurynews.com/hssports/?p=4249#comment-39993CIF admits they have the paperwork in advance of the event. They just didn’t have it within the mysterious timeline that they require. As cumbersome as the CIF bylaws are, they don’t provide any guidance on when paperwork should be provided to CIF (despite what their spokesperson said). They had time to “disapprove” the event the day before it started – well after all the paperwork by the player was submitted – but they didn’t have time to approve it? Really?? As for playing on two teams – there’s a big difference between playing on a high school and club team and the US National team representing your country. And funny thing – if you are a swimmer or diver the bylaws say you can participate in these types of events. If you play an “individual” sport – you can sign up for tournaments and matches as an “unaffiliated” player. The CIF rules need to be changed to state that players invited to participate in Olympic Development Programs and US National events are eligible to do so. Of course, I would doubt this to be a problem next year – if I was a parent of a player in this situation, I’d just have them NOT play high school soccer. If CIF can’t support our top athletes, they don’t deserve to have them in their programs.
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FORMERADMon, 25 Feb 2013 06:02:44 +0000http://blogs.mercurynews.com/hssports/?p=4249#comment-39992Here’s what i find more troubling. I’m 100% sure all of ST (AD, Principal, Coach, Parent, Player) thought this was legal to do. I’m 100% sure other coaches new it was illegal, but waited to mention it until crunch time when it mattered. I can tell you from experience my schools soccer team won the league and hours after they beat the 2nd place team for the title, the opposing coach informed the AD we had an illegal player(playing in adult league) which forfeited the season and playoff eligibility. Worst part is the kid fessed up, but also told me their were 5 or 6 teamates from opposing teams who played on his team. Had these claims been filed earlier this girl may still be playing.
]]>By: CCSALUMhttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/hssports/2013/02/20/high-school-soccer-the-tegan-mcgrady-suspension/comment-page-1/#comment-39991
CCSALUMMon, 25 Feb 2013 05:51:21 +0000http://blogs.mercurynews.com/hssports/?p=4249#comment-39991Rules are set for a reason and should be followed. Student/Athletes playing on more than 1 team per season risks serious injury. No way Blaser should have to track all that stuff grandma, her AD and coaches should.
]]>By: Neilhttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/hssports/2013/02/20/high-school-soccer-the-tegan-mcgrady-suspension/comment-page-1/#comment-39989
NeilSun, 24 Feb 2013 05:49:50 +0000http://blogs.mercurynews.com/hssports/?p=4249#comment-39989Bottom line is that the National Team should have filed it’s paper work in a much more timely manner. CCS has very strict rules in place for a reason. Fortunately for ST it only cost them the MHAL title when they forfeited games. Had they played in an earlier round they would home reading this article waiting on next season instead of preparing for a semi final game. Unfortunately for Palo Alto, they had one of Tegan’s teammates in the same boat, and Palo Alto was forced to forfeit a playoff win. I’d be curious to find out if there are any other teams currently in the playoffs in the same boat. Let’s get them all out in the open and move on!!!
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prima facieSun, 24 Feb 2013 00:08:32 +0000http://blogs.mercurynews.com/hssports/?p=4249#comment-39988Clearly a case where a kid is penalized because two outside entities don’t get along. Isn’t this the opposite of what’s supposed to happen in youth sports — shouldn’t the CIF and the U.S. soccer authorities be doing what they can to encourage talented kids to pursue what they’re good at, rather than place roadblocks for them?

I never played elite-level soccer, I was a high school golfer. And I wasn’t any good. But I played in high school matches, high school tournaments, the occasional weekend tournament in town and out of town, bet huge money on practice rounds with my buddies — “A Coke says you miss that putt” … “A dollar if you out-drive me” … “Winner on this hole buys the Snickers” — and all of that sounds like it could make us ineligible today. Ridiculous.

Let the kids play. As long as they’re not getting paid by the school or hopping from school to school every week, who is being protected from what by arcane rules?